Student injured at construction site; contractor let off with fine

Police preferred to push for compromise, instead of registering a case and carrying out investigations, between an injured Government Rajindra College student and a contractor at the institute, after a wooden plank dislodged at the construction site, grievously injuring the 19-year-old.

Police preferred to push for compromise, instead of registering a case and carrying out investigations, between an injured Government Rajindra College student and a contractor at the institute, after a wooden plank dislodged at the construction site, grievously injuring the 19-year-old.

The department even failed to take the statement of the victim, Mandeep Kaur, who was declared unfit for the purpose. Versions of her family, other students and the college principal were ignored.

The victim was forced to comprise after the contractor, Raghu Nath Goyal Contractors (RNGC), reportedly agreed to bear the treatment expenses (Rs 1.5 lakh) in a verbal commitment.

The decision was reportedly pushed through to save the contractor from facing a case, and has raised questions over the role of the local police.

So, no First-Information Report (FIR) has been registered as yet, even though the case is of a grievous nature with the victim suffering from skull injury.

"The police called us for a meeting with the contractor on Saturday. We demanded legal action against the contractor. Here, the contractor's representative offered to bear the treatment cost, after a lot of reluctance. We were in no position to reject the offer as we cannot bear the cost. If safety measures like barricades had been installed to stave off falling objects at the construction site, my sister will have been safe," said Jaswinder Kaur, elder sister of the victim.

The contractor is constructing the first floor at one of the blocks of the Rajindra College at around Rs 60 lakh, but was allegedly cutting corners on safety.

College principal Vijay Kumar Goyal said, "We informed the police about the incident and had written to the Bridges&Roads department for legal action against the contractor for negligence."When contacted, Kotwali SHO Mahesh Kumar said, "We have not yet registered any case as the victim is yet to record her statement."

On whether there had been a complaint from the family, he said: "How can the family know anything about the incident as they were not on the spot. We cannot believe the college staff and students as there are versions of the incident that cannot be disclosed to the press," he said.

Sub-divisional officer Vishal Garg said, "The matter is under consideration. Departmental action will be taken against the contractor as barricades were not installed. However, the college had issued a notice prohibiting students from venturing near the construction site. The college authorities will be made party to the case. We have written to the police. We cannot yet say that the contractor was negligent as inquiry is on."